Waiting at the Edge of Forever
by Hoprocker
Summary: A lonely bird waits in the unchanging afterlife for a loved one who will never come.


**Here's a little story I thought up in church and wrote in class. I was just wondering about what would happen if the main character of Hatoful Boyfriend and her love interest wound up in different afterlifes. Names are not given so you can imagine your OC and your favorite bird. Enjoy! :)**

I don't know how long it's been.

The stars never seem to change. Nothing does. The silver grass that surrounds me never grows and never wilts. My plumage, which I have not touched in a long time, remains glossy with good health. Unchanging. And yet, I cannot remember the last time I preened. Or ate. Or slept.

I have no use for any of these things because I am dead. I have been dead for a long, long time. But I can't move on. I have to keep waiting…

"You're still here?"

I don't have to look to know The Conductor is standing behind me. He visits often, always with the same inquiry. And I am always prepared with the same answer.

"The train is making its rounds. How bout you come aboard? I think it's time you departed for your next adventure."

I look at the sky. Sure enough, the train is stationed there, a glittering trail of stars at its wheels. The Conductor is in charge of that train. He ferries souls of the departed through the night sky, preparing them for their next life.

But I do not want to move on. If I move on, I will have to lose my precious memories I made on Earth. My complex soul with be sheared and smoothed into the likeness of an egg. And then it will drop back to Earth, ready to hatch and start life anew.

I don't want that. _I don't want that._

"Lingering is never good," The Conductor continues. "On Earth, you could become a vengeful spirit. Here…you could become much worse."

I know what story he is referring to. It's faded over the years, but the memory is there. A mystical lighthouse and a mad king, burned in a fire.

"I won't become anything like that," I argue. My voice should be worn from disuse, but it remains as firm as my healthy feathers. "I'm not here to make mischief. I just want to see her again. To move on together."

"You can't."

Finally, I turn to look at The Conductor. His shadowy face is unreadable. Two pinpoints of yellow light bore into my eyes from the darkness.

"What do you mean?"

"She's not coming."

"Yes, she is. She's just late. Humans outlive birds by many years."

"Time passes differently here. If she were coming, she would have been here by now. But she can't move on with you. She's a human—and humans are destined for a separate afterlife from ours."

Shock threatens to take hold. I ward it off with resolute denial. "That's not true! She and I—we always nurtured the same beliefs! Because we believed we could be together in the end. We must go together!" My voice breaks with grief. I can feel my heart sinking in my chest.

The Conductor says nothing. Nothing except, "She's not coming," in the quietest of voices.

I rise to my feet. My wings hang limply by my sides. I feel as though I will never fly again. "Let me go to her," I demand quietly.

"I'm afraid that's not an option," The Conductor says with a shake of his head. "You only have two options. Board the train and embark on a new journey. Let go of your Earthly tethers and your memories so that you may forge new relationships and seek new love. Or…you could stay here forever, waiting for someone who will never come. Unwavering. Unchanging."

I do not answer. For the first time, I truly hear and consider his invitation. The pain of losing my love would be lifted from my soul. I would no longer recognize her name or face. I would go on to live life anew, just as The Conductor describes. But the good, as well as the bad, would be lost to the stars.

Letting myself go…along with my memories…now I understand why The King was so scared. But I am not afraid. I am determined. I have always possessed the resolve to see things through to the end.

"She will come," I say strongly. "And I will wait."

I look to The Conductor for his answer, but he has disappeared. The train above emits a shrill whistle. A faint voice cries, "All aboard!"

A slight smile pushes at my beak. _No, _I think. _Not all._

The train departs, puffing sparkling stardust into the night sky. I watch it melt into the darkness and I am alone again. _But not for long, _I promise myself.

I tuck my feet under and fold my wings, settling back into the makeshift nest my body has carved in the silver grass. I think about my true love and I feel at peace.

"I will wait for you," I promise her, my voice piercing the thick silence of space. "Forever, if I have to…"

"I will wait."


End file.
